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Death Takes Priority
A Postmistress Mystery #1
Jean Flowers

Berkley Prime Crime
November 3, 2015 / ISBN 978-0-425-27910-6
Mystery/Cozy/Amateur Sleuth

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

Cassie Miller has returned to her hometown, North Ashcot, Massachusetts, after being dumped by her fiancé in Boston. She cared for her dying aunt, and now lives in the house where she grew up. After having a successful postal career in Boston, she's currently the postmaster for the North Ashcot branch.

A quiet day turns puzzling when Cassie discovers that stacks of new telephone books, set for disbursement to customers, has been stolen! Cassie mulls this over and plans to report the theft, but first goes to lunch with the handsome Scott James, an eligible bachelor who works as assistant manager of a local antiques store. Their lunch doesn't go as well as Cassie had hoped, because after a pleasant and casual meal, police chief Sunni Smargon and officer Ross Little show up in the restaurant parking lot to take Scott in for questioning! As rumors swirl, Cassie learns that telephone company field supervisor, Wendell Graham, who in fact arranged for the delivery of the now missing phone books, has been found murdered, and in his possession was a piece of paper with Scott James name, as well as Scott James OTHER name, Quinn Martindale.

Cassie and Chief Smargon forge a friendship, and although Cassie vows to not get involved in the murder investigation, she is torn. She doesn't believe that Scott/Quinn is a killer, and Wendell's sister, Wanda has asked her to help find the truth. What will Cassie do, and how much does small town politics or infighting have to do with this mystery?

This is a very well written novel, and I was not surprised to find out that author Jean Flowers is also an author whose work I have immensely enjoyed under her other pen name. I enjoy reading a new series from the very first book, and found Death Takes Priority to be engaging, interesting, and chock full of characters I look forward to getting to know better. You won't want to miss this first in a new series, and if you order it online, your mail carrier will deliver it right to your front door!

Reviewed 2015
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